A group of Italian researchers at the International School for Advanced Studies of Trieste and the University of Padua studied the movements of 29 fetuses to predict which of their hands would become dominant. They looked at three different types of hand movements at 14, 18, and 22 weeks. After nine years post-pregnancy, they compared their predictions to the preferences of the children and found that movements from as early as 18 weeks could determine if the child is a lefty or righty.

According to the report, hand preference is a result one cerebral hemisphere being more dominant than the other. This dominance also impact your language and speech and can be an indicator of certain pathologies like schizophrenia, depression, and autism spectrum disorders. Therefore, doctors might be able to detect conditions early on and provide parents with invaluable information.

Ultimately, this new discovery is another addition to the amazing ways babies develop and could be a game-changer in screening for other conditions.

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